How to Train a Cat to Stay Off the Counters

If you’re a content cat owner, you’re already aware that your cat seems to enjoy jumping up on anything above their typical position on the floor or couch. They like having a high vantage point from which they can survey their surroundings like the king or queen of the castle. If your cats are continually jumping up on your tables or counter-tops and you’re hoping to find a solution to nixing the problem in the bud, there are a wide variety of options available to you.

Although your first instinct may be to just sweep them off of the counter every time they jump up on it, this method is ineffective at best. Realistically, you can only control your cat’s behavior in this manner when you’re at home and awake – and what your cat does when you’re out of the house, sleeping or engrossed in something else is equally as important as what they do directly in front of you.

One of the best methods to deterring your cat from jumping up on counter-tops or on your kitchen table in the middle of dinner is easy, free and continually tested. Since most cats detest water, getting a spray bottle full of water and keeping it near you at all times is an easy and effective tool. Spraying your cat when they exhibit any behavior that you want to discourage will quickly teach them that, if they continually exhibit unwanted behavior, they will immediately receive an unwanted result. Since practically every cat dislikes water, they will not want to continue to act in a manner that will garner a squirt of it.

Another relatively inexpensive solution can be found at your nearest hardware store. A lot of cat owners fail to realize that cats have a distinct and predictable tactile response. They typically dislike surfaces that are cold or slippery. They also dislike surfaces that are sticky. Double-sided tape wrapped on a piece of cardboard can quickly and easily teach your cat that jumping up on the table comes with a negative tactile experience, and they will very quickly start to second-guess their instinct to jump up and get a bird’s eye view of the family as they enjoy their meals.

Cats for whatever reason also dislike the smell of citrus. Squeezing a fresh lemon, lime or orange into a spray-bottle full of water and using that solution to wipe down your counter tops after use can go a long way towards getting your cat to equate counter-surfing to an unpleasant odor. Additionally, aluminum foil is an unpleasant sensation to cat’s sensitive paws – and the noise when they jump up on it is a double-whammy that makes aluminum one of the most effective solutions to retraining your cat to avoid certain high-flying perches.

Several electronic cat deterrent alternatives can also be found in pet stores worldwide in an effort to curtail this very problem. While certain spray-deterrents are on the market, a simple spray doesn’t last for long and requires continual reapplication in order for it to be effective. Some devises approach the problem of counter-jumping in multiple fashions. A product called Sccccat includes a sensor that indicates when the cat has jumped on a counter where they’re unwanted. Secondly, a high-pitched alarm goes off, which most likely startles the cat into jumping off the counter. Thirdly, a harmless spray of gas accompanies the alarm and offers a harm-free solution to the problem in a safe and reliable manner.

If you’re going to start making certain high surfaces off-limits to your cat, make sure that you offer them an alternative instead. Leave the shades of the windows open just a crack in order to invite your cat to jump on the window-sill and do a bit of squirrel or bird-watching while you’re out of the house. Buy them a perch of their very own in the form of a cat-condo or scratching post that has a platform on top. You can easily get your cat to realize that, although they’re unwelcome on certain surfaces, they’re more than welcome on others. Giving them an alternative perch will allow them to feel a sense of security as they relearn the rules of the household, and they also realize that they’re a valuable addition to the family – not just an animal that doesn’t get to have any fun.

Velita Livingston is the founder and editor of the Cat Lover's Diary blog. The site provides rich content with great advice on cat care tips and training, teaching you how to protect, pamper and live peacefully with your cat. Click here to watch the Cat Lover's Diary Movie created by Velita. It contains breathtaking images and heartwarming quotes... It will uplift and inspire you! Visit: www.CatLoversDiary.com to learn more about Velita or follow her on Twitter.